CRYOSPHERE Interesting Facts:
The word "cryosphere" comes from the Greek word for cold, "kryos". The cold regions of Earth influence weather for the entire world. The cryosphere also includes frozen soil--also called "permafrost" if it is frozen all year long. Permafrost areas store greenhouse gases like carbon and methane, causing scientists to study the effect on climate as overall temperatures warm. Glaciers are thick masses of ice on land, and cover 10% of the world's land. Glaciers sometimes look pink because of the algae living in the top layers of the snow and ice. Glaciers store 75% of the world's fresh water. Ice shelves are platforms of ice that form when glaciers move out in to the oceans. Icebergs are chunks of ice that break off glaciers and ice shelves and drift in the ocean. |
Interaction with other Earth spheres:
The cryosphere effects the atmosphere: Snow and ice reflect more of the sun's energy back in to space. When snow melts, darker colored ocean and land are exposed. The darker colors absorb and radiate more of the Sun's energy, warming the atmosphere. The cryosphere effects the hydrosphere: When ice and snow melt, the water becomes part of the hydrosphere. The cryosphere impacts the biosphere: Many different living organisms rely on the cryosphere for their habitat. The cryosphere effects the geosphere: Glaciers and ice sheets shape the land. Rocks erode as ice moves slowly across the land, with sediment being deposited in other places. |